Raju the crying elephant decreed free by Indian court

An Indian elephant kept in chains for 50 years has finally been declared free after his former owners lost a legal battle to reclaim him from wildlife campaigners


by Telegraph Video, video source Wildlife SOS

1:52PM GMT 03 Dec 2014

A starving and beaten Indian elephant that was rescued by a wildlife charity in a midnight raid will not have to be returned to its abusive owner, an Indian court has ruled.

Raju, who is now recovering in a wildlife sanctuary, was found shackled in spiked chains and living off rubbish in the streets of Allahabad, India.

Conservationists from the British charity Wildlife SOS carried out a raid to free the animal in the early hours of July 4. Incredibly, they reported witnessing him shedding tears as they moved in to cut his bonds.

Two months later, Raju's owners launched a law suit to try to reclaim the animal, but now stand accused of illegally obtaining him.

Indian law requires owners to hold a licence from the Chief Wildlife Warden, which Raju's former owners were unable to produce.

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Raju the crying elephant meets new family at animal sanctuary

After 50 years of captivity, the elephant has been taken to a sanctuary in northern India where he is in the company of five female elephants, collectively dubbed the ‘Herd of Hope’ after all being rescued from abuse.

BY LEE MORAN 

NEW YORK DAILY NEWS 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014, 8:54 AM

The tortured elephant who hit the headlines last month for crying on his release from captivity has joined five females at his forever home.

Tear-jerking video shows the gentle giant being welcomed to a refuge in Mathura, northern India, by his new companions.

Raju the elephant cried upon being rescued from 50 years of captivity.

They flap their ears, trumpet a greeting and touch him with their trunks — all signs of joy — as he's led into the sanctuary.

His new family members — collectively dubbed the "Herd of Hope" — were all rescued by the Wildlife SOS charity, which also saved Raju from a life of "hell" during a daring nighttime raid in early July.

The rescued elephant dines on mangos, melons and bananas.

"We're delighted he's fitted in so well with the first family he's had since poachers orphaned him as a calf," charity boss Kartick Satyanarayan told The Mirror.

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Elephant in India Rescued After 50 Years of Being Shackled and Abused

After 50 years of being shackled in spikes, Raju the elephant has been freed from captivity in India. A team of 10 wildlife experts and veterinarians from Wildlife SOS, accompanied by police, entered his enclosure in the middle of the night, removed the shackles from his legs, and rescued Raju.

Operation Raju was difficult. During the mission, his captors tried to fight off the rescuers, who eventually had to gain the elephant's trust by offering it fruit.

Volunteers say they witnessed tears streaming down Raju's face after he was freed from his chains. Some animal experts believe elephants are capable of crying since they appear to experience emotions similar to those of humans.

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